Historical and religious intersections for the Brethren, Brethren and evangelical relationships in the eras of well-known evangelists, and other topics will be discussed during the Sixth Brethren World Assembly, to be held August 9-12, 2018, in Winona Lake, Ind. The every-five-years gathering is sponsored by the Brethren Encyclopedia, Inc., and is being hosted by the Winona Lake (Ind.) Grace Brethren Church (Bruce Barlow, lead pastor).

Focusing on the theme “Brethren Intersections: History, Identity, Crosscurrents,” the four-day event looks at groups who trace their spiritual heritage to Alexander Mack in 1708. Assembly sessions are open to the public, and will feature lectures, panel discussions, historical tours, worship services, and much more.

The first day of the Assembly will Thursdayday, August 9, with several plenary sessions focusing on historical and religious intersections for the Brethren and it will conclude with a worship service and ice cream social. The second day, Friday, August 10, will include sessions that focus on the Brethren-evangelical relationship in the eras of Charles G. Finney, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham. Afternoon panels and sessions will include a bus tour of sites in and around historic Winona Lake, once the home of the world’s largest Bible conference, and a central conference point for Brethren groups since the 1880s.

The third day, Saturday, August 11, will focus on themes of social justice, relationship with the military, gender questions, and will include a bus tour of historic Brethren sites at Arnold’s Grove in Milford, Ind., and Camp Alexander Mack on Lake Waubee. The day will conclude with a worship service at the New Paris (Ind.) Church of the Brethren. On Sunday attendees are encouraged to worship with local Brethren congregations not of their own groups.

The registration fee includes meals, admittance to all sessions, ice cream socials, a follow-up book containing all proceedings, and more. Full conference registration (including meals) is $150 per person (early bird rate, $175 after July 1) and $75 (early bird rate) for spousal registration. One-day registration is available for $50 per person ($75 after July 1) and there are special rates for high school students.

Attendees will be responsible for finding their own lodging in the Warsaw/Winona Lake area. For complete program and registration information log onto Brethrenencyclopedia.org, write to Sixth Brethren World Assembly, Box 676, Winona Lake, IN 46590, or call (574) 527-9573. Registration information is also available on the Brethren Encyclopedia Facebook page (facebook.com/brethrenencyclopedia/).

Brethren Encyclopedia publishes encyclopedias and monographs of Brethren interest. e group is comprised of representatives of the seven groups descended from Alexander Mack, which include Church of the Brethren, Brethren Church, Dunkard Brethren Church, Charis Fellowship (Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches), Conservative Grace Brethren Churches International, and two groups from the Old German Baptist Brethren heritage.

This was first published in GraceConnect magazine. To read the complete issue online, click here. To receive your personal copy, at no charge, in the mail, click here.

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